Long-term care institutions have been extensively studied by gerontologists. While major foci for analysis have included assessing quality of care, the effects of institutionalization and environmental assessments, relatively little is known about the circumstances in which nursing home residents interact with each other or with staff. At the same time, however, studies have demonstrated that social interactions have a moderate positive relationship to health and well-being. It is important to identify the parameters in which such interactions occur. Sociological analyses of disability suggest that types of disabilities and perceptions of disabilities may have significant effects on patterns of interaction in institutions. The goals of this study are first, to describe the form and patterns of relationships among nursing home patients and between patients and staff; second, to describe the folk taxonomies used by patients and staff to conceptualize disabilities; and finally, to explore the role that type, level, and perceptions of disability plan in affecting the social interactions among nursing home patients and between patients and staff. The investigation utilizes two major data collection strategies: semistructured interviews of a sample of patients and nursing staff on twelve wards of a skilled nursing facility and systematic observations of social interactions on the wards. Analyses will be conducted using a combination of standard statistical techniques, narrative case portraits and qualitative content analysis, and sociometric and network analysis methods. The findings from this study will enhance both the literature on the social meanings of disability and the gerontological literature on nursing home adaptations.